2022 U.S. Nationals: Senior Men's Free Skate

[moonvine]

One heck of a short program, Yaro had....

His long is great too. He’s so funny. He lay down on the ice after he skated at Cranberry and took a nap. Hey it was like 11 pm, I’m sure he was tired.

 

[kan01]

It is possible to discuss a skaters pros and cons without making statements that are blatantly false, rude and disparaging.

This is something most of the posters who will throw a party the moment Jason announces his retirement constantly do, false statement after false statement. They don't even take 5 minutes of their time to check some scores and results on Wikipedia if only for not being debunked later.
It must be stressful to constantly get annoyed that an excellent skater, one of the best in the world, has more success than your favorites just in general, and desperately bring the "quad" and "potential scoring" argument for the milionth time when the scoring system is Designed so that a skater like Jason Brown will do as well as he does (They don't take the time to do minimal research on that either). And then there are the ones who say he doesn't deserve his GOE, and more absurdly, even his PCS. Umm... no.

 

[Jammers]

I'm sick of this Ilia is arrogant nonsense. The kid is pushing himself and look at how much better he keeps improving because of that. I'd like to see some of our top US ladies have a bit of that attitude also then maybe they would all be doing at the very least triple triple combinations instead of 1980's jump content.

 

[lariko]

when the scoring system is Designed so that a skater like Jason Brown will do as well as he does

And that's exactly the problem. The most recent changes to the scoring system leveled off the advantage the extreme jumpers used to have, but it did nothing to level off the advantage of the PCS, plus added extra to GoE. Since Brown derives extreme benefit from this deviation from the aimed at balance of TES, GoE and PCS, the system seems tweaked to benefit him, specifically. There is simply no other skater, no matter how graceful and artistic, who was awarded similar total score for obviously lacking content.

It creates impression that Brown, indeed, could come out with double axels and still be in the top 10. And people keep asking for more, specifically so that Brown could win, without being capable of what everyone else is doing successfully, while still doing what he is doing. It's like the others have to also do what he does and being criticized for not measuring up, but he is an exempt from doing what they do and is excused. He doesn't take the same risks as all the other elite men, putting his body on the line, and he is being praised for it. Yes, it's by the rulebook, but it feels like a loophole.

In other words, one can compare Chen's delivery with Zhou's with Malinin's, but you can't compare it with Brown's because they are not presenting the same thing to be evaluated.

 

[Spiralgraph]

About Ilia to quote a Beatles song "He was just seventeen, you know what I mean and the way he looked was way beyond compare...." For a 17 year old Ilia looked very good in his LP, but he is 17 so I agree that he was just showing confidence in himself and acting as a young athlete might,his statements weren't OTT to me.

However, I agree with USA fIgure Skating on their selections going by their criteria. I agree that Nathan, Vincent and Jason should be our Olympic team

 

[bekalc]

I think in some ways the difference between confidence and Arogance is how one approaches things.

I personally think you need to have a high level of self belief in order to compete as a champion. I like that the Russians are more open on that.

But it becomes a problem I think when someone thinks they don’t need to improve.

Michelle Kwan ending up as a diplomat makes total sense

But I would say deciding that one doesn’t need a coach in an Olympic year is pretty arrogant

But I am sure she would even agree it’s a mistake

 

[iluvtodd]

Today the gold sequin jacket audience member has on a red sequin jacket and I approve.

We sat right across the aisle from that couple!

We just got home from Nashville last night (we did some sightseeing after Nationals). My husband caught one of those 100th anniversary USFS t-shirts @ the end of the gala. On a personal note, I was hoping we would see Sean Rabbitt in the concourse (he was there with the National Development Team). He must have seen us on the arena's Jumbotron (we had GREAT center ice seats). To my shock (& delight), he came over to our section to say hello to us! He sat down with us & chatted for @ least 10 minutes before the start of the men's final. That made our day (even though we were so sad for Yaro's withdrawal from the free skate later on).

 

[shan22044]

I think everyone should keep in mind it is a National championship. Not an Olympic trials. It’s rumbling around in my mind that there’s an actual reason we don’t have an Olympic trials. But I can’t remember what it is.

Well, you saw what happened in short track (or maybe you didn't). At the Olympic trials, the top ranked US man Brandon Kim (I think the only one with a world ranking currently) had a bad day. He's not going to the Olympics, the US champion in 500m, 1000m, and 1500m.

 

[moonvine]

Well, you saw what happened in short track (or maybe you didn't). At the Olympic trials, the top ranked US man Brandon Kim (I think the only one with a world ranking currently) had a bad day. He's not going to the Olympics, the US champion in 500m, 1000m, and 1500m.

And they have an Olympic trials. We don’t.
I also saw a speed skater gave up a spot for her friend.

 

[el henry]

We sat right across the aisle from that couple!

We just got home from Nashville last night (we did some sightseeing after Nationals). My husband caught one of those 100th anniversary USFS t-shirts @ the end of the gala. On a personal note, I was hoping we would see Sean Rabbitt in the concourse (he was there with the National Development Team). He must have seen us on TV (we had GREAT center ice seats). To my shock (& delight), he came over to our section to say hello to us! He sat down with us & chatted for @ least 10 minutes before the start of the men's final. That made our day (even though we were so sad for Yaro's withdrawal from the free skate later on).

@iluvtodd that is so wonderful that you got to chat with Sean. I miss his skating, but I know he is busy with shows and coaching.

Also a shame about Yaro, but better safe than sorry. He'll be back next year with Todd, I'm sure.

 

[MarkinBerkeley]

Did someone tell him he wasn’t allowed to compete in another one?

I have a feeling that he retires after Worlds. He is 27 and has no realistic chance of being the U.S. Champion again.

 

[moonvine]

We sat right across the aisle from that couple!

We just got home from Nashville last night (we did some sightseeing after Nationals). My husband caught one of those 100th anniversary USFS t-shirts @ the end of the gala. On a personal note, I was hoping we would see Sean Rabbitt in the concourse (he was there with the National Development Team). He must have seen us on TV (we had GREAT center ice seats). To my shock (& delight), he came over to our section to say hello to us! He sat down with us & chatted for @ least 10 minutes before the start of the men's final. That made our day (even though we were so sad for Yaro's withdrawal from the free skate later on).

That’s so lovely. Glad you had a great time! Maybe you can introduce me to Sean next year.

 

[moonvine]

Then it's the US Fed that selected Jason, they're the people you should mad at. Skaters and coaches have zero power to change the outcome. Just ask Ross and his coaches.

But who will look Ross in the eyes!?!?

 

[moonvine]

I am not mad at Brown. I have never meet him personally, or even watched him skate live. I don't like his skating. And I specifically described why I don't like his skating.

Great chance for you to take a bathroom break without missing any skaters you do like.

 

[moonvine]

Geez, so much mud slinging...

Unfortunately (or fortunately, depending on which camp you're on), there's still the final boss: covid tests results. None of the spots are guaranteed until the skaters are in the official olympic bubble on the ice for their 6 minute warmup.

I’ve been saying. We may yet see a US Olympic team of Ilia, Jimmy and Camden. And while I would be all about Jimmy going to the Olympics, not at the expense of one of our other men.

 

[moonvine]

perhaps "subpar" was harsh. What I meant was that Miner's skates were nothing special compared to the standards of the men's field 4 years ago, and this is clearly not the case with Ilia today. And somebody correct me if I am wrong, but it seems that Ilia and Jason were in the same priority group according to the criteria set by USFS? So no, I don't think it would have been unfair to include Ilia in the Olympic team. At least, the criteria that includes body of work shouldn't be used as an argument to immediately justify Ilia being off the team bcs according to that same criteria, him and Jason are in the same group.

Yes, they were both in the same priority group. Within that group there were additional considerations. USFS were VERY specific.

 

[moonvine]

It’s not a boast, it’s inspirational. He explained that if he wants to live up to it. Public accountability and visualization of success is a known technique for goal setting. And, yes, he is very obviously 17. He has a very different attitude in his age than my other favorite, Mozalev, did, but without ambition they are not going anywhere.

We have a saying here in the Southern United States. “Don’t wear the tiara if you haven’t earned it.”

 

[mrrice]

But who will look Ross in the eyes!?!?

I think you're right about that.

 

[moonvine]

I thought a skater can switch his/her country after 2 years?

They can. I have a hard time imagining a 17 year old sitting out 2 years. That being said if he really wants to do that, he should certainly go ahead. I read he and his parents had country shopped and found the US the best fit. But they’re certainly entitled to change their minds.

 

[moonvine]

Because he has dual citizenships.. or more. the US, Uzbek, and Russian...

Uzbek Fed doesn’t have the political power. Russian Fed has too much competition.